Locket having enclosed pivoted frame members



Dec. 9, 1958 E. s. DONLE 2,853,307

LOCKET HAVING ENCLOSED PIVOTED FRAME MEMBERS Filed April 3, 1956 jry. 7

INVENTUR. Zawz'fl 5:072/6' "wawr LOCKET HAVING CL DSED PIVOTED FRAME MEMBERS Edwin S. Donie, Providence, R. 1., assignor to Care, Inc., a corporation of Rhode Island Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,868 1 Claim. (Cl. 63--19) The present invention relates to the jewelry art, and has specific reference to a novel construction for a locket.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a four-photo locket of novel construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locket having novel photo retaining elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fourphoto locket made of a small number of easily manufactured and assembled parts.

With the above objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically described in the claim appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is an elevation of an illustrative ing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a view of the locket in open position;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one photo frame;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the bezel therefor;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a transparent shield therefor; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the left case section of Fig. 1.

It has been found desirable to provide a multi-photo locket of simple construction, which has a number of double photo frames hinged inside the locket case. To this end, I provide a locket case in which several photo frames are set, the frames and the case parts being hingedly mounted on a common hinge pin, and the photo frames including a ring base and a bezel for snap seating in the ring base, whereby a very compact and attractive locket results.

Referring to the drawings, the locket 10 includes a case 11 of generally watch form; the case 11 has a rear section 12 with an offset integral suspension tab 13 provided with a terminal pin tab receiving opening 14 and with a lock tongue receiving opening 15 having an upstanding latch abutment 16, and a front section 17 which is hinged to the rear section and has an integral latch tongue 18 adapted to pass through the opening 15 and downwardly curved to snap seat past the abutment 16, the outer end of the latch tongue being upwardly curved to provide a thumb engageable tab 19. The lower ends of the case sections each have extensions 20 with spaced hinge rolls 21 for seating over a hinge pin 22.

Several photo frames 23, see Fig. 4, are hingedly mounted on the hinge pin 22, each frame includinga base 24, see Fig. 6, of ring form, and a bezel 25, see Fig. 7. The base has an inner annular seat 26 and an arcuate locket embodynited States Patent 0 rim 27 which is made linear at the hinge area as indicated by the reference numeral 27 and is provided with integral spaced hinge rolls 29 and spaced integral lock tabs 30; the rim 27 is also cut away diametrically opposite the portion 28 to provide a lock tab 31.

The bezel 25 is preferably of stamped sheet metal, and is of ring form, slightly dished as shown in Fig. 3, and with one linear portion 32, whereby two circular photos 33, 34, with outer transparent shields 35, 36 of plastic or the like, may be placed on each base 24 and locked in place inserting the straight edge portion 37 of the bezel under the spaced lock tabs 30 and then snapping the opposite edge of the bezel under the lock tab 31.

The above-described construction is thus readily manufactured and assembled, and provides a watch type locket with two or more photo frames and four or more photos; if desired, each case section may also be provided with a bezel, thus permitting the mounting-of two additional photos.

Although I have disclosed a specific embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made to meet different design requirements, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a locket construction, a front case section, a rear case section hingedly joined to said front case section by a hinge assembly, a latch formed on the outer peripheral edge of one of said sections, a finger formed on the outer peripheral edge of the other section and cooperating with said latch to releasably secure said sections together, a pair of frame members pivotally mounted on said hinge assembly between said case sections, each of said frame members having spaced hinge rolls formed thereon, the outermost of which form the end members of said hinge assembly and the innermost of which are disposed in side-by-side relation and form the center members of said hinge assembly, each of said frame members having an annular seat terminating in an annular rim, said rim having a linear portion adjacent said hinge assembly and having inwardly extending lock tabs in the linear portion and an integral inwardly extending lock tab in diametrically opposite relation to the linear portion lock tabs formed thereon, said annular seat including a dished portion for receiving a pair of circular photographs in back-to-back relation and a pair of transparent circular shields covering the outer face of said photographs, the outer edge of the inwardly positioned shield engaging said annular seat, and a bezel engaging the outer edge of the outwardly positioned shield and snap seated beneath said lock tabs to lock said photographs and shields in said pivotally mounted frame member, each of said photographs in said frame mem-s bers thereby being exposed for view upon pivotal movement of said frame members with respect to said case sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 34,811 Mackson July 23, 1901 720,798 Giguere Feb. 17, 1903 825,676 Phillips July 10, 1906 2,129,491 Chilson Sept. 6, 1938 2,185,641 Mark Jan. 2, 1940 2,543,437 Claxton Feb. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 512 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1875 

